slateman's cubelog

Birthday money and three new “cubes” added to my collection!

Definitely excited about this purchase. The 3x3x2 is an interesting one, and I can solve it using only two algorithms. Definitely not one for speed, but it is curious to look at.

The Pyraminx is something I’ve wanted for a while. I got a QJ and am starting to get used to it. Looks like I just need to remember about five LL algs, that’s manageable!

The Skewb is more of a curiosity than anything else. It’s solvable with just one algorithm, really, but I think it’s cool. My students at school managed to make it explode within three seconds of touching the thing. *sigh*

Times? I don’t know how much I care about time on these…but I’ll likely go for a Pyraminx speed run at some stage.

Next up? I still want a better 5×5 (ShengShou, likely), a 3×3 (a Dayan probably) and a Megaminx…I think that’s my next curiosity!

Posted in 3x3x2, Pyraminx, Skewb

So I haven’t updated in a while. I’m still cubing, usually a few solves a day. I’m tinkering with F2L, working on it here and there. I get the idea, but don’t see how I’ll ever get good enough to shave off the time I want.

So, I did a 4×4 for speed. I haven’t done that in a long time. It was 3:13.34. Not great. But I seem to have hit a wall on the 4×4 as well. 30 seconds for the centers, another 90 for the edges, then a minute+ on the 3×3 solve. Meh. Anyways, I may be quiet, but I’m still cubing. It’s been a year since I started.

Posted in 3x3, 4x4

Got my V-Cube 7×7 for Christmas yesterday. It feels very different from my V-Cube 6, a fact that surprised me. I solved it twice and toyed with making interesting patterns today. I will not be going for time, as it’ll certainly be a ridiculously long solve.

8×8 next? That’s expensive!!!

Posted in 7x7

I honestly didn’t envision breaking my first sub-40 solve. I had returned to my original Rubik’s 3×3 which was lubed by a student of mine and whose turning was smooth! However, after a few hundred solves, it lost a lot of its luster and I returned to my A1 for a short while. Once again, my first two layers were just average. However its last layer was one of those rare, easy layouts. Two algorithms and, oh! it’s solved!!! I was surprised, actually, and then reached up to stop the timer. It was probably a sub-36 actually! In any event, it’s only my second sub-40. Not bad!

Posted in 3x3, Best Times

I figured…if I could bust open my 6×6 record, why not give my 5×5 a spin? Oh look at that! I broke my record by more than a minute and a half!!! 6:16.24, pretty sweet! My new goal of course is a sub-6. But let’s face it…that’s a pretty sweet new record! I’d love to get a new 5×5 cube, my Mini YJ is just too small. Until then, 6:16! Oh yeah!

Posted in 5x5, Best Times

OK, it’s still crap, but it’s better! I find that the V-cube just pops so much, I can’t really try to do anything for speed. It would be nice to have the ability to try to shave time off, but that’s not going to happen. And of course, when it pops, I lose at least 4-6 pieces each time. Not like a nice 1-piece and a quick fix. No. So, anyways, it’s a new record. I suppose I’m proud!

Posted in 6x6, Best Times

The day I got my new 4×4, I had a crazy good run of just over 3 minutes. I was psyched and it filled me with confidence that a sub-3 minute run would be imminent. However, each run that followed was nowhere close. There were some good ones, of course, but I was lingering around the 3:30 mark on average.

Today, things just fell into place. It was an awesome run, with the general last-layer parity we all love to hate. I was certain I couldn’t get under 3 minutes until my last layer worked out well. One algorithm and under 3!!! 2:56.13! Another milestone to check off. Awesome!

Posted in 4x4, Best Times

As I approached the end, I thought that the 3-minute barrier would be a difficult one to break. The last layer fell into place (without parity) but I didn’t quite make it under 3. It’s a new record though, a full 80 seconds faster than the record was 24 hours prior. That’s not too bad!!!

Posted in 4x4, Best Times

No parity errors here! Just a day after getting my new ShengShou, I’ve broken my record by well over a minute. THIS is what I’ve been waiting for! I’m pretty thrilled to see this record change from 6:20 to 4:22 to 3:13. Now, my goal will be sub-3 minutes. I think that’ll satisfy me for a while!

Posted in 4x4, Best Times